


Sunset and Sunrise

by Romantical_Cat



Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, M/M, reader's gender is non-specified
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:08:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28377483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Romantical_Cat/pseuds/Romantical_Cat
Summary: You had been in this world for many lifetimes and it had been a very long time since you had felt such darkness. Bracing yourself you opened the front door and waited. Light spilled out around you onto the ground outside, and the rider stopped at the edge of it.‘Who goes?’ you called.‘A stranger,’ came the reply in a strange voice, ‘and I have business here if you could direct me.’
Relationships: Nazgûl/Reader, Ringwraith/Reader
Kudos: 19





	Sunset and Sunrise

A fire blazed merrily in the hearth and candlelight chased away any remaining shreds of shadow lurking in the corners of the room. The sun had just set, leaving the sky a swath of midnight blue lined with pale green. Trees stood as black silhouettes in the distance, visible across the narrow river. Crickets had begun to sing in the long grasses along the road that led past your land to the ford. All of this you could see from a window in your front room, and you smiled. 

In the midst of turning away you stopped, for out of the corner of your eye you glimpsed something on the dirt path that led from the road to your door. Inexplicably a shiver ran down your spine. Peering through the growing darkness you watched as a lone rider approached. They were cloaked all in black and their powerful horse was also dark. The night and their hood combined to conceal their face completely. As they drew nearer you felt a persistent tingling on the back of your neck. 

You had been in this world for many lifetimes and it had been a very long time since you had felt such darkness. Bracing yourself you opened the front door and waited. Light spilled out around you onto the ground outside, and the rider stopped at the edge of it. 

‘Who goes?’ you called. 

‘A stranger,’ came the reply in a strange voice, ‘and I have business here if you could direct me.’

A shadow of a frown settled on your brow. ‘What business would that be, stranger?’

A hiss that might have been laughter emerged from an invisible mouth. ‘I seek the Shire.’

Your frown deepened, and the palm of your hand began to itch for the grip of your blade. ‘What do you seek there?’

The Black Rider’s horse stamped and snorted impatiently, its hot breath wafting in clouds in the chill night air. The crickets and frogs had all fallen silent. ‘That is not for me to tell you. I will leave and return with gold if you will then tell me what I wish to know…’

Long ago you had strengthened your heart against such things, but still a shudder of cold fear seized you as you gazed upon the dread servant of Mordor and heard his offer. Swiftly brushing the feeling aside you straightened, comforted by the warm firelight behind you. ‘That I cannot and will never do. Farewell, stranger.’ As you stepped back across your threshold an unnerving cry full of impatience and anger cut through the air. As you slammed the door the Ringwraith turned his horse and disappeared into the night with a thunder of hooves. 

The crickets began to sing again. 

-

It was impossible to forget an encounter with Darkness, but time and sorrow pushed the memory to the back of your mind. The War of the Ring had ended at last, leaving behind a scarred but slowly mending world. You returned to your home and watched the familiar sunsets. Tonight the dark clouds were breaking and receding, leaving the diamond stars to shine in the sky of blue velvet. 

The crackling of the fire now reminded you of burning homes, so you stifled it and sat in dim candlelight instead. Staring out at the river as you used to, your eyes lit upon a figure on the road. It stumbled, but kept on. You watched, transfixed, as they turned up the path that led to your door. 

Then your eyes widened in recognition of the hunched, creeping figure. You opened the door and stepped outside -- this time without your sheltering ring of firelight. But you no longer felt fear. 'What do you want from me?' you challenged. 

The hood raised slowly and looked at you, but no answer came, only a soft hiss. 

Now there was no trace of dread in the Ringwraith’s aura. His Master was gone, and so was his power. He should have followed Him. 

'How are you here?' you asked, still lingering in the doorway when you should have closed and bolted it. 

'I do not know.' an answer came. With a horrible choking gasp the figure collapsed to the ground. 

You started forward out of instinct and pity, stopping only when your hand touched his cloaked shoulder and felt the cold metal of a hauberk. Thoughts flashed through your mind, but at last you haltingly began to help him to his feet. 

The candles had begun to gutter and night settled over the world. 

'If you’re injured I can’t help you,' you spoke quietly, 'I can’t see into the realm of wraiths.' 

'I am not injured.' He said no more, and moved away from you. 

'Then why did you come here?' 

'I do not belong to this world, yet I am bound to it.' 

'And I was the one you remembered…?' You regarded what used to be a Man, and again pity rose in your heart. 'You will be hunted. You can never live in peace. Perhaps you don’t deserve to.' 

He rose to his feet and let the hood of his cloak fall back, revealing the emptiness there. 'I know this.' 

You felt eyes meeting yours; the sensation was strange. 'Very well.' you sighed. 'For now you may have a room here.' 

Again he swayed on his feet, and you put out a hand to steady him. 

-

Time passed until it had been months since the wraith had come, and months since you hadn’t turned him away as you had once resolved to. In a small dusty room that you had previously used for storage he stayed. You still didn’t know his name; if he even remembered what it was.

That morning the sun filled the sky with streamers of gold, pink, and purple as it rose over the distant hills. You smiled as warm light spilled into the room and danced sparkling on the waters of the river. 

Suddenly a long shriek pierced the air, rising to a sharp pitch that hurt your ears before falling back to a wail until it finally ceased. For a moment you stood frozen, suspended in time. The birds outside had ceased their songs. Then the world started again and the air outside was filled with sweet melodies. You turned and walked towards the room from whence you knew the sound had come. 

Gingerly you opened the door. The wraith stood as still as a statue, or a corpse, in the center of the room. 'What happened?' you asked hesitantly. 

His breathing was laboured and ragged. 'I saw Him. I saw the Eye.' He stepped forward as if he were beseeching you. 

'It wasn’t Him, He’s gone from Middle Earth.' you spoke confidently now. 'He has no claim on you now.’

The wraith let out a long shuddering sigh. 'You are wise.' 

You shook your head with a smile. 'No.' 

The strange hiss that you now knew to be laughter stirred the heavy air. 'May I request something of you?' 

'Of course.' you said without thinking. Then again if you had thought you most likely would have answered the same. 

'Stay awhile with me. But,’ he continued, ‘you should not waste your priceless life away in the company of the tortured undead.’ Another pause hung in the air until he spoke again, firmly. ‘I must leave this night.' 

'No!' you stepped forward, and found yourself close to him. 'No,' you repeated quietly, 'you can’t go or you’ll be killed. Or live in torture. I-- I don’t mind you staying here, we’ve been good for eachother.’ That was the truth, as much as you sometimes wished it were otherwise. 

Unseen eyes considered you. 'Very well.' 

Silence descended, no longer heavy and stifling. 

You felt only a faint, fleeting coldness as you gently wrapped your arms around him and held him close. He leaned into the touch and you had the strangest notion that if he had been able to he would have been crying.


End file.
